1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method of reinforced concrete construction, and more particularly to a system and method setting a reinforcement bar mat and molding forms, and interlocking these components by specially designed devices to obtain a rigid assemblage capable of containing the poured concrete with precision alignment.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, in the case of walls or pillars, the method for cast-in-place concrete construction considers at first the setting of the reinforcement. The reinforcement is typically composed of a plurality of bars and/or welded wire fabrics, with the minimum ties and spacers needed to hold them momentarily in place. Then, the formwork is positioned concealing the reinforcement web, but using independent structural supports to externally brace the sheathing, such as studs, walers and braces, required to resist the pressure of the cementious mixture that is to be placed afterwards.
Finally, when the concrete has hardened, the formwork is removed. In the case of slabs, the usual procedure is to begin with the scaffolding that supports beams and panels. Over them the sheathing and the reinforcement web are laid. Then the concrete mix is placed, and when it has hardened, the forms and scaffoldings are removed.
Although nowadays it is customary that parts of the structural reinforcement network for concrete are prefabricated, and there is a wide stock of welded wire fabrics and several welded reinforcement cages for beams and pillars, either standard or custom made, these elements are not intended, nor specially designed, for also holding the forms. Otherwise, many kinds of ties and spacers for holding molding panels from the inside of the building member are available that are meant to remain imbedded in the concrete. However, they are not conceived as the same structurally needed reinforcement for concrete. Therefore, the existing methods for reinforced concrete construction do not structurally relate the reinforcement and the formwork.
The following related previous patents were found which disclose systems for forming reinforced concrete walls wherein the wall forms are spaced by elements that also serve to tie the forms together and include formations for receiving the reinforcement rods that are embedded in the finished wall. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 1,162,554 to Berry; U.S. Pat. No. 2,099,260 to Colt; U.S. Pat. No. 2,160,489 to Spies; U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,540 to Boeshart; U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,039 to Boeshart; U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,180 to Boeck; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,907 to Tobin et al. describe systems of the background art, the entirety of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. However, none of these systems of the background art uses the same structural reinforcement rigidly interlocked with the molds. Therefore an integrated, comprehensive system suitable for building walls, slabs and any similar form in cast-in-place concrete has heretofore not been available in the related art.